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Unconscious mental imagery.

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  • 1Centre for Philosophical Psychology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.

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|December 14, 2020
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Mental imagery may not always be conscious. Rethinking this concept could unify research and explain conditions like aphantasia, where imagery might be unconscious.

Keywords:
aphantasiamental imageryprimingunconscious

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Psychology of Perception
  • Consciousness Studies

Background:

  • Traditionally, mental imagery is defined as a conscious experience.
  • Most research on mental imagery overlooks the subject's conscious state.
  • Recent studies show minimal differences between conscious and unconscious mental imagery.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose that mental imagery is not necessarily conscious.
  • To unify research on mental imagery by considering unconscious forms.
  • To re-evaluate findings on aphantasia in light of unconscious mental imagery.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and theoretical argumentation.
  • Analysis of existing behavioral and neuroimaging data.
  • Reinterpretation of findings related to aphantasia.

Main Results:

  • There are few empirical distinctions between conscious and unconscious mental imagery.
  • Treating mental imagery as potentially unconscious offers greater explanatory power.
  • Some cases of aphantasia may involve unconscious mental imagery.

Conclusions:

  • Mental imagery should be conceptualized as potentially unconscious for research unification.
  • This perspective can reconcile current findings and explain phenomena like aphantasia.
  • Considering unconscious mental imagery opens new avenues for research on offline perception.